Interrupter



April 13 1926.

1,580,882 l E. w. GENT INTERRUFTEH Filed July 17. 1925 Patented pr. 13,

UNITED STATES rareur orricrf:..q`

EDGAR W. GENT, OF MORRISTOVN, NEW JERSEY, ASSGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

INTERRUrTE-R.

Application mea July 17, 192s. serialy No. esame.

To all whom t may conce-ra Be it `known that I, EDGAR W7. GENT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Morristown, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interrupters, of which the following` is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to contact making` and breaking systems and particularly to those systems in which a quick make and quick break is essential. l

It is the object of this invention to produce an improved contact operating mechanism for use in connection with electrical circuits. l

A feature of the invention is the provision of a contacting system which shall have clearly ldefined makes and breaks, and which shall eliminate` the long` 'drawn-out arcs which tend to wear out and pit contact surfaces.

-I-leretofore, in systems employing contacts,

such as circuit interrupting systems, the circuit is made and broken by means of brushes which are designed to ride over continuously revolving segmented drums having alternate segments of insulating and conducting;- material. TheA disadvantage of ythis method -is that thethickness of the brushes is constantly changing due to wear. For this reason i, the contact is not sharply brokenV or made as the brush passes fromgone lsegment to anfother. There' exists also a tendency to arc over, the length of such arcing depending; upon the amount of current in the circuit broken and the relative speed ofl brush and commutator. The use of sharply made and broken contacts is especiallynecessary in an impulse transmitting device arranged to simulate the action of a calling dial. In making tests of the operation of registers or relays in automatic telephone systems it is necessary to dial a series ofdi-gitsinto the apparatus, pause sufficiently long` to allow the apparatus to function and then restore to normal, and repeat the process indefinitely. In order to determine the results of these tests it is necessary to know definitely and accurately the characteristic of the dial pulse as to percentage make and break. The

object of this invention is to provide an improved contacting system which may be apcontacts are mechanically released and then mafrnetically held in non-actuated position. This and other features of the invention can be better shown by va reference to the accompanying drawings in .which Fig. l1 shows oneembodiment ofthe ,invention in which a contact is rotated, `continuously making;` andV 'breaking an electric circuit while in motion. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic arrangement of the apparatus inrFig. 1 to show more clearly the method of effecting contact; Figs. 3 ande-.are two views of a modification of the invention Vproviding` for an unlimited number of contact sets.

Referring now specifically to Fin'. 1, a thin iiexible steel reed 1 has one end securely fastened to thev midpoint of a circular perin anent magnet 2 having two soft iron .polefaces 3 and e positioned inl parallel planes with respect to each other. These. pole-faces are electrically insulated from the magnet and are arranged'by means of suitable screws to be adjusted relatively to each other. Each pole-facecarries a contact 18, which may be adjustedV in and out by means of a slotted screw. The reed extends ydiametrically across the magnet, its free end resting against either pole-face 3 or pole-face 4. Reed 1 terminates in a projection 5 which causes the reed to be thrown over to the other shaft 11 which is driven constantly by motor 12. Magnet 2 and reed 1 thus. rotate Vto-l gether. l

' For the purpose described, conductors are connected to reed 1 and pole-face 3 and lead out to collector rings 13 and 14, respectively as be clearly seen in Fig. 2. The circuit to be'interrupted is then connected to these rings by ymeans of brushes 15 and 16. It will be assumed that the directionof rotation of the magnet and reed is as indicated by the whose blade is arranged to force the reed away from pole-face l. The reed is then immediately magnetically attracted to poleface 3. This alternate action continues as projection 5 is engaged by succeeding tripping members 7 and 6.

Tripping members 6 and 8 may be mounted 'diametrically opposite to cach other on a common arm andthe arm so pivoted that they may be adjusted and locked at any point on the pole-face. That is, tripping member 8 may be positioned anywhere to the right of members 7 and 9 and member IG may be positioned in a corresponding position dlametrically to the left.

Any number of tripping members may be employed mounted either fixedly or adjustably for eccting more .or less contact cloeures without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, reed 1 is shown after its projection 5 has been engaged by trippingmember 6 and forced into engagement with contact 18 of pole-face 3. A circuit is closed which may be traced from'brusli 16, collector ring 1&1, conductor 28, pole-face 3, contact 18., reed 1, conductor 17, collector ring 13, to brush 15. This circuit remains closed from the time reed 1 is forced into engagement with pole-face 3 by wedge member 6 until it is forced away from pole-face 3 by wedge member 9. The circuit is then broken until reed 1 engages wedge member 8 and so on, the circuit being alternately made and broken.

It is not the purpose to confine the in` vention to an impulse sending device but this method of making and breaking a circuit maybe employed wherever it is necessary to open and close a circuit automatically. Fig. 3 represents a plan view and Fig. l a front elevation of a machine employing a modification of this invention wherein the reed is stationary and the wedge members are mounted on a shaft and caused to rotate therewith. lAny number of units may be mounted on one shaft as indicated. In Figs. 3 and 4 a shaft 19 has mounted thereon drums 2O.v Projecting from the periphery of the drums are a number of wedge-shaped tripping members 21 similar to tripping members, 7, 8 and 9 in Figs. 1 and 2. rlhese members may be so mounted as to be adjustable. A flexible steel rod 22 is mounted in the base 25 and positioned so that Vthe free end projects upward between pole-faces Lacasse 23 and 24- of a permanent magnet. On each side of the reed are mounted contacts 26 and 2? which are caused to be made and broken as the reed is forced by tripping wedge members 21 into engagement alternately with pole-faces 23 and 24. Any convenient nimiber of contacts may be employed, suitably insulated, in one unit.

That is claimed is:

1. ln an interrupter, a pair of contacts, continuously rotatable means for engaging said contacts and magnetic means for holding said contacts in engagement.

2. 1n an interrupter, a pair of contacts, continuously rotatable means for engaging and disengaging said contacts and magnetic means for holding' said contacts in their engaged or disengaged positions.

3. In an interrupter, a pair of rotatable contacts, means for engaging and disengaging saidcontacts and magnetic means for holding said contacts in their engaged or disengaged positions.

4l. In an interrupting system, a pair of contacts, an operating memberv associated with one of said contacts, a series of cam surfaces, means to operate said contact due to successive engagement of said operating member with said cam surfaces, and magnetic means for holding said contact member in the positionto which it has been moved by said cam surfaces. Y

5. ln an interrupter, a` rotatable contact element comprising a magnet, electrically insulated pole pieces therefor and an armature for said magnet positioned between said pole pieces, said armature and one of said pole pieces serving as a pair of contacts and means mechanically cooperating with said armature for moving said armature alten nately into engagement with said pole pieces, said magnet magnetically holdin-g said armature in engagement with either of its pole pieces. j

6. ln an interrupter, a rotatable contact element comprising a magnet, electrically in sulated pole pieces therefor and an armature for said magnet positioned between said pole pieces, said armature and one of said pole pieces serving as a pair of contact-s, and fixed cams for cooperating with said armature during its rotation for moving said armature alternately into engagement with said pole pieces, saidl magnet magnetically holding said armature in engagement with either of its pole pieces.

7. In an interrupter, .a plurality of contacts, a continuously rotatable member associated with one of said contacts, means cooperating with said member to operate said contacts and magnetic means for holding said contacts in engaged position.

V8. In an interrupter system, a plurality of contacts, a continuously rotatable member associated with one of said contacts, means cooperating with said member to disengage said contacts, and magnetic means for holding said contacts in the disengaged position.

9. In an interrupter system, a plurality of contacts, an operating member therefor, a plurality of cam faces for cooperation with said operating member and a magnet having pole pieces disposed on eitherside of said operating member, said operating member when moved into engagement with one of 10 positions.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3 day of July A. D., 1923.

EDGAR W. GENT. 

